Gateway Merseyside On Abandoned Plan For Southport's Pleasureland

Business decides to abandon plans for pleasureland dude to recession End Quote

(1888PressRelease) March 02, 2012 - Plans have been abandoned to transform Southport's Pleasureland site in an £80m development. Announced in March 2008, the proposals were intended to launch the "reinvention of the seaside resort". The developers, Urban Splash, and site owners Sefton council, have decided to go their separate ways after the project was negatively affected by the recession. Council leader Peter Dowd admits there is no future plans for the site. "It's quite a shame," said a source at Gateway Merseyside, a Liverpool-based sales and marketing company, "The site was an important key piece in the plans to rejuvenate the area."

Councillor Dowd said that the Southport Arts Centre development, costing £17m, will be the last big project for the town in some time. "That is going to be the last development Sefton does as a council for anything like the foreseeable future," he said, "If you asked me whether I can see a moderately sized £5m project, no I can't because there is no money around. There has been some significant investment in Southport in recent years but I don't see anything on the horizon regrettably."

Since the Urban Splash plans were announced, the Vincent Hotel and Neptune Developments Waterfront complex on the promenade have opened, but Neptune has struggled to find occupiers for its £30m project. Our Gateway Merseyside source said, "Unfortunately this is the case with a lot of large developments now. So much money is invested in the initial building, but then there just isn't the demand there."

After the recession hit Urban Splash, it was forced to abandon several projects. The plans for the Pleasureland site included an outdoor heated swimming pool and an expanded marine lake and a winter garden, all housed under a landmark atrium inspired by the Eden Project. The scheme was also to include at least two hotels offering traditional accommodation alongside serviced apartments and houses to let.

The site's recent history has been one of uncertainty. Former owners Pleasureland Ltd closed in 2006 after 93 years in the town. A year later Sefton council bought the site for £7.25m and soon afterwards announced the partnership with Urban Splash. Keen to make sure the site did not sit idle Norman Wallis, managing director of Dreamstorm, was handed a lease to operate the New Pleasureland funfair. Mr Wallis has four years left to run on his lease and has plans to expand the funfair.
"The site will be taken care of, but it is a shame we won't get to see the results of all that planning," said our source at Gateway Merseyside, "It will be interesting to see what plans develop in the future."

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2012/02/10/80m-plan-for-southport-s-pleasureland-abandoned-99623-30293367/

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